Fans look on in early December as locked-out NHL players participate in a workout at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz. / Christian Petersen, Getty Images

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

The NHL canceled 104 more games Monday, bringing the lockout tally to 526 lost games through Dec. 30.

Afterward, USA TODAY Sports asked season ticketholders to e-mail us whether they had been seeking refunds for canceled games or keeping the money with the team while earning interest. A sampling of what they said:

Anthony Robinson, Detroit Red Wings: "I have kept mine and not asked for a refund. I have already paid for them, and I know eventually the NHL will be back."

George Norris, Boston Bruins: "Keeping money in account. Took that option at the beginning of the lockout. Wish I hadn't. Would prefer a refund at this point. And by taking that option, I am already locked into next season."

Patrick Cochrane, Minnesota Wild: "My wife and I have just requested to cancel and obtain a refund."

Richard Metz, Buffalo Sabres: "Keeping money in account for now but getting impatient with the process."

Jeremy Dickens, Nashville Predators: "Have made the hard decision to keep my money in my Nashville Predators season ticket account. I was a hockey fan in Nashville before we had a team, and even though I am angry and confused by this entire ordeal, I know I will be a fan of the game after it - and I don't live in an area with multiple options for seeing professional hockey. Additionally, being the market that it is, I feel like mass abandonments of NHL hockey in the Nashville area could only leave to more threats of the team moving, something we have been through in the recent past. Maybe it's a silly justification, but it's definitely in the back of my mind."

Shawn Malenich, Pittsburgh Penguins fan: " I'm letting them keep my money. In the past decade, the Penguins came precariously close to leaving town, forever. I went to the rallies, spoke at gaming board hearings (in favor of the, then, unfunded arena project), and most importantly, put my money down to support the team at the gate, when I could actually barely afford it. I'm not about to abandon ship over this, especially that I'm much better off financially at 34 than I was at 26. Who knows, if enough people actually do follow through on threats to stop supporting the NHL, I may even be able to escape from the upper bowl of the Consol Energy Center and upgrade to a better seat."

Mark Provenzano, San Jose Sharks fan: "We're getting a refund, but as most (not all) Sharks season ticketholders are on a payment plan, the Sharks are only refunding games not played after 30% of the games were canceled (as payment plans had paid about 70% of their invoice). So my December refund was $117.10, less than two tickets worth. I outright canceled the two seats we added in the offseason a month ago. Those were refunded in full. If this season isn't played, I'll cancel the other pair as well."

John Wooten, Columbus Blue Jackets: "I kept my money with the club. Much as I'm astonished that we are where we are with the NHL and NHLPA, I support hockey in my town. The way I looked at it was that the money was already spent, and if I got it back, I would end up spending it on something else. Whenever the season would start, this year or next, I'd just have to pay again, so better to just consider myself paid a year or so ahead from now on. I'll say this, though: however much I support the team, the league and the players, it will be a long time before I feel the same about the NHL as I did before. Hockey is the most beautiful game, has the most passionate owners and the best of men as players, and it's disgusting they couldn't find a way to get on the ice."

Ryan McCartney, Pittsburgh Penguins: "The Penguins gave us the option of requesting a refund in writing for any games lost due to the lockout or the option of keeping the money in our accounts and use it toward tickets for future games, playoff games or season-ticket renewals. I decided to just keep my money in my account and use it towards tickets for future games or if the entire 2012-13 season is canceled toward my season tickets for the 2013-14 season. I just believe it would have been too much of a hassle to continuously ask for a refund in writing when the different blocks of cancellations of games were announced."

Steve Sobel, Chicago Blackhawks: "Asking for a refund in my case would, unfortunately, ensure that I won't have season tickets again in the next five to 10 years unless this lockout really has a significant effect on a market that just rose from the dead and is near its peak. Sure, I could cancel my tickets in protest, but there are a minimum (from accounts I've heard) of 15,000 or even 20,000 people waiting in line behind me who are already used to waiting around without tickets and want mine. Instead, I'll be keeping my tickets and receiving the automated refund for canceled games with the moderately insulting 2% interest we get for them hanging on to our money for many months, but I won't be asking for a full refund for the season because that means giving up the childhood dream I worked so hard to get - Blackhawks season tickets. Yes, it's ridiculous that I'll come back after they've treated fans like this, but I love the game too much to abandon it. Instead, I'll try and pinch the NHL wherever else I can by encouraging my friends to join me in the following until (if ever) the NHL and/or Blackhawks do something to make amends: Not purchasing any licensed NHL apparel anymore (and) purposefully avoiding doing business with NHL sponsors."

Myka Bertrand, Nashville Predators: "At this point, I will wait until they cancel the whole season before I cancel my package. My thinking is that I'm horrible with saving money, so I would rather just have the money there in case we do get a season rather than scramble to get it back together to be able to go to games. But if the entire 2012-2013 (I guess 2013 only at this point if it happens) schedule gets canceled, I will take my money out."

Dan Doke, St. Louis Blues: "At first, I elected to get the monthly refunds of my STH money. After waiting an additional three weeks after the previous month's refund, I quickly realized that was a pointless endeavor trying to track all the games canceled and what refund amount I should get. Of the two months' worth of refunds, neither were exactly right. I composed a well-thought-out e-mail to my season-ticket representative. In it, I explained that waiting that long for my refunds wasn't acceptable and requested my entire money back. I received my full refund within one week. They asked if I was canceling my account or if they needed to save my seats for when they play again this season. I told them I wasn't canceling, yet. I am very tempted to, but after investing 12 years of emotion and money, I really want to be on the ride to the Stanley Cup when the St. Louis Blues return to action."

Louie-Eric, Montreal Canadiens: "I have four season tickets at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens organization give us 2% of the given money for next season or when the season will start if it's the case. I decided to leave the money there. It will pay for one pair next year in the worst scenario."

Scott S. Schnee, Phoenix Coyotes: "I have profound gratitude for the way Gary Bettman handled the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy situation. That said, it is beyond my understanding why the owners and players would grind a billion-dollar industry to a halt during labor negotiations. The players could have agreed to negotiate through the last season. The owners could have allowed the league to continue for a year without a new contract. I have elected to receive a refund. If there is a season next year, I might continue as a season ticketholder. Then again, I might not."

Joe Giordano, Philadelphia Flyers: "I left money in the account, due to the fact that I agreed to a contract, and I figured that there would be a season of some sort. Because I am under contract, I did not want to get refunds and then suddenly get hit with a significant bill, especially if it came around the holidays. My family and I are already discussing what to do with the savings we will have from not renewing our tickets next season. I am tired of being treated like a fool, and I hope that more season ticketholders and fans will feel the same way. The only way to get through to both the league and the players association is to hit them where it hurts the most - their wallets."

Donna Scanlon, Carolina Hurricanes: "I have decided to keep my money on account with the Hurricanes. I have done this because I am a hockey fan and I will go back. Hockey is growing in the Raleigh area, and I want it to be able to stay forever. But that doesn't mean that I am not upset. I will have my own personal boycott. Every year I buy a new jersey, T-shirts and many other items to promote the NHL brand. I will not buy anything to promote NHL hockey for one year after the lockout. I also will not buy any concessions. I will eat before a game and use the water fountain. This is very sad, as I do have disposable income that I use for hockey - and now it is going elsewhere, where millionaires and billionaires will not fight over it."

Jeff Peters, Pittsburgh Penguins: "Keeping money in the account simply 'cause I know I'll be back once games start. Thought games would start November, then December, now maybe January. If whole season is canceled, then may seek refund."

Justin Sicienski, Buffalo Sabres: "I am not getting a refund. I am collecting 4% interest on each game missed. ... They will give that to me once lockout ends."

Aadil Fazal, Calgary Flames: "Leaving money in account with the team, earning a paltry 3% for the entire year. Can ask for a lump-sum refund but would lose the seats entirely."

Jim White, Pittsburgh Penguins: "I opted to just leave my money with the team, as irritated as I am with the whole thing, I'll be back at games once the two sides stop acting like children on a playground."

Jonathan Lee, San Jose Sharks: "I've been a five-year season ticketholder for the San Jose Sharks.They had a policy to refund games on a month-to-month basis. However, I wanted and asked for a full refund of my tickets. They gave me the option of either getting a full refund of my 70% but I lose my seats and seniority in the process or a 45% refund and to keep 25% in my account to keep it open. I asked for a full 70% refund, and it was given to me. Sick of hockey and don't want to be a season ticketholder anymore."

Jamie Dillen-Seibel, Pittsburgh Penguins: "I have been on the fence about asking for a refund, but today's cancellation of games pushed me over the edge. An e-mail was sent to my rep this morning."

Codey Holland, Nashville Predators: "I've requested a refund. It's not out of spite, I'm forever a member of Cellblock 303, but idle hands find other ways the money can be used."

Matthew Wagner, Columbus Blue Jackets: "I've left the money in my account until now, but I'm seriously considering withdrawing it the closer we get to the holidays."

Mike Mitchell: "We've asked for a full refund on half-season tickets for the St. Louis Blues, for whatever good it might do. Just wanted to express our displeasure somehow. We'll watch on TV."

Lisa Morrow, Pittsburgh Penguins: "I currently have let the Penguins hold on to my money instead of asking for a refund. I will more than likely ask for a refund if the season is canceled. They should not get to hang on to my hard-earned money without providing any product. The only way I would not ask for a refund is if I would lose my tickets. I want the opportunity to watch No. 87 (Sidney Crosby) and No. 71 (Evgeni Malkin) for years to come. If it were not for those two players, I may not care at all if I kept my tickets. I love hockey. Have loved it since I was 8 years old and wanted to be a season ticketholder since I watched my first game. But at this point I'm apathetic towards the entire situation."

Dave Matthew, Nashville Predators: "My 7-year-old son and I attended every game over the last four years. He has been skating since he was 4, played Termite hockey last year and is playing Mite hockey this year. He loves it and is improving every part of his game every day. ... As of now, I am keeping my money on account with the Preds. Until recently, I hadn't even thought of seeking a refund. As each day goes by - particularly with the shenanigans that took place last week - I am more inclined to not only seek a refund but cancel my tickets altogether. It sickens me that this insidious lockout is still going on. There are two reasons I haven't canceled my tickets yet. I am truly worried that if I pile on with the masses, who I know are canceling, the Predators franchise will suffer severely. The other, and more important reason, is that 7-year-old boy will be heartbroken if he can't go to the games. He doesn't understand that we are getting royally screwed by the owners of the game. He just wants to watch them play when they come back. I wish I was as innocently ignorant as he is. I know that when the game comes back, I won't enjoy it nearly as much. Especially knowing that five, seven, 10 years down the line, the owners will lock out the players again and ask for more."

Heidi Hansen, Los Angeles Kings: "We were on a 10-payment plan and had paid a little over $1,100 before the lockout took place. So far we are leaving the money there because the Kings are paying us 5% interest, which is more than we'd make putting the money in a savings account. We have had tickets either partnering with someone else or on our own since 1988 but are seriously considering what we'll do going forward. We have discovered we are not missing hockey as much as we thought we would. We have been through too many lockouts already and are pretty fed up that every time a CBA expires, they do this all over again. I think they may have misjudged how much the longtime fans are willing to take this time. I've talked to quite a few fellow ticketholders that are feeling the same way we are."

Kim Koster, Nashville Predators: "I'm absolutely dropping my partial season-ticket package if the entire season is canceled, and I will only go to a couple of games next year. After this last debacle, I'm considering canceling sooner rather than later."

Derek Perry, New Jersey Devils: "I celebrated the end of the '04-'05 lockout by proudly buying my very own season-ticket package - something I was very proud of as a high school student on a part-time hourly wage. As a naive high schooler, I figured there was no way the league's bigwigs would let this happen again. ... After graduating (college) and moving back to New Jersey, getting Devils season tickets was right behind 'get a job' on my priority list. And here I am. Now, while I haven't seriously considered canceling my tickets, my interest dwindles with each negative report and insider tweets, each set of games the leagues cancel, etc. This concerns me, because if my interest is deteriorating - someone who has grown up with the Devils and hockey as a huge part of their life - how does the NHL have anything but a fool's hope of growing or even maintaining a casual fan base? I just don't see how the league can expect their casual fans to return when even die-hard fans are starting to mail it in."